When I Didn't Recognize You In The Crowd
by kathlaida-princess
Summary: During Naruto's Hokage nomination party, Gaara cannot recognize a face in the crowd. When he realizes who she is, many things start, ready to be developed. GaaHina Fluff, NaruOC, Gaara&Naruto friendship. Request Fic.


**WHEN I DIDN'T RECOGNIZE YOU IN THE CROWD**

**by kathlaida-princess**

**Summary: **When Naruto is finally nominated Hokage, his best friend, the Kazekage himself comes to the Leaf to celebrate with him. But, when in the party Gaara is unable to recognize a certain face in the crowd, the consequences of the extra-attention drawn to it can be… interesting… GaaHina fluff. NaruOC Gaara&Naruto friendship. Request fic for :devred-tora:

**Disclaimer: **None of the characters is mine, except for the giggly blonde who is not Naruto.

**Author's Notes: **Hello, dear readers! This story, contrary to all my other Naruto stories, is not GaaNaru, but GaaHina, but this is a request for a dear devWatcher of mine at dA, and I do very much like the GaaHina pairing…

This request story will have three chapters. Here is the first.

Enjoy!

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**CHAPTER 1**

**CHANGES**

The Leaf Village was a living blob of applause that day. The Kazekage has always remembered seeing it as a living blob almost every day he had been there, but the applause thing was a new characteristic. However, considering the reason why all people felt the urge to cheer, Gaara decided it was a good change, for once. After all, he was part of the cheering and the applause himself…

Naruto Uzumaki was having his Hokage nomination party. His idol, the turning point of his life, was celebrating the achievement of his life purpose. Dressed in a red mirror of his own outfit, he spoke to everyone who came to congratulate him, his trademark grin on its maximum power. And this time all the blue of his eyes shared the same happiness as they shone too. How could Gaara not be happy for him?

Years had passed since his hunt begun, since this dream, unknowingly making the stubborn child follow the steps of his legendary father, had been born from a desperate attempt to earn the respect of his comrades, and had developed into the sheer desire of taking this entire village as his family, to hold, protect and to cherish.

The redhead had been inspired by that dream and even beaten his best friend to it, but it was his biggest belief that one spot for Hokage would be always waiting for the blond to get there.

The time that fight took made immature and brash Naruto grow into a responsible and quite promising young man, his unorthodox yet effective ways of work being the strongest point of his certain success. As Gaara watched the new Hokage dance gleefully across the room of congratulating guests, he stood his ground and observed him, adoration and pride spilling from his jade stare and spreading to the smile on his lips. Demon hosts (ex or not) always looked out for each other. In between thank yous, Naruto noticed him there and acknowledged him with a wider grin and a hand gesture from afar. Gaara knew he'd be coming to him, so he waited.

And there was so much in that place to occupy his waiting time with!

The celebrations were being held not inside a room but at the center of the Leaf Village itself. Unsurprisingly, they were quite close to the ramen stand its new leader prized so much, and much of the food running across the guests had indeed been provided by it. Gaara noticed the old man who owned the store standing behind the counter, filling a big bowl of noodles for a young boy whose eyes told the Kazekage that Naruto was his idol to be respected, and mimicked.

It was a warm night, so the guests were quite comfortable inside their semi-formal clothes, inside that festive bubble. At one corner, a band had been hired to fill the air with their music and, upon Naruto's request, Gaara had himself brought sitar players and drummers with his committee. The two genres of music melted wonderfully, the redhead could hear, each artist drawing knowledge and abilities from the remarkable experience of the next.

But the best part was, without a doubt, the guests. The excitement and sense of self-fulfillment that crossed the one they chose to be their leader flowed through them as well. Laughter was a constant, along the tingling of the chopsticks, forks, spoons and knives against glass or porcelain. Drinks, alcoholic or not, were flowing without a hitch, and Gaara himself was trying a small glass of the drink they called "sake" there at the Leaf Village, finding it rather bitter but not at all as strong as some of the spirits they had at home. He didn't like those drinks at all, he had spent a huge enough deal of his life without proper lucidity (and we all know how that turned out), but he had learned to have just the minimum possible in order to ease diplomatic relations.

Nonetheless, his siblings, they too trying some of the offered food and beverages, looked mockingly at him, warning him that the alcohol would fly all the way to his head in a pinch if he weren't careful. The redhead merely smirked, going on with his observations as he slowly swallowed the rest of the drink.

They were all there. They were all happy. Gaara saw Sasuke, Sakura and Sai mildly conversing near the ramen stand, while Kakashi, the man "Yamato" and the enthusiastic Gai shared stories that emphasized how much their students had grown. Of course the Kazekage could not hear them from where he was, but he could see the nostalgia in their movements, in their eyes. His own emotional range had developed with the help of his observations while he had fought to be free of Shukaku, so he could very well identify these feelings, emotions from afar.

Lady Tsunade, the Fifth Hokage, was sitting by the source of the drinks. Gaara could see she was happy and sad at the same time, sharing all the loving pride towards Naruto he had with him, while she must be wishing she still had Jiraiya (or "Pervy Sage", as Naruto would call him) by her side, a drinking companion, and a fellow teacher happy with his brilliant student…

The younger ones were all there too. Lee, Neji and TenTen laughed together, for once the entire team basking in the energy that was Lee and Gai's alone. Shikamaru had now gathered enough drive to walk all the way to his sister, with Chouji and Ino playfully bickering about how much or how little the other was eating. Even Shino was taking part of the festivities (even if still being his reserved self), enthusiastically talking to one of his own Sand shinobi. Kiba and his dog were not far away either, randomly interacting with a group or another as they pleased.

But, among so many people Gaara had seen or known before, in between the infinite elements of a crowd he had learned to recognize so well (Naruto had made him visit this village almost every month, and as he spoke, Gaara would memorize everything he saw), there was one person, isolated from the rest and standing near a shy wall, that the redhead couldn't, for the life of him, understand who she was.

A female, certainly, and of their age group too. And the Kazekage was even sure that she was very familiar, with her pale, almost blind-looking, lilac eyes, the long, straight dark hair, indigo like a summer-night's sky, and the white skin, glowing in all different colors under the party lanterns, much like his own skin. Even all her movements were to him like revisiting a friend long-ago forgotten and now remembered, with her shy pacing, the nervous breathing and, surprise of all surprises!, the immense, untouched, pure love she seemed to be directing at the blonde young man that was now right by Gaara's side, at her Hokage, at their own Naruto Uzumaki.

But the redhead's moment of deep thought was gone because his best friend was here and grinning madly at him, turning the scars on his cheeks into the Cheshire Cat's whiskers as he threw his strong arms around him and hugged the breath out of him.

"Gaara!" was his muffled shout, "You really made it! I'm so glad!"

The Kazekage struggled to get some air into his lungs to reply, but when he did so, he was a mirror of the other's smile. "Well, I am glad to stand here as well, before you as you accomplished your dream. I knew it couldn't be much longer now…"

Pride flowed from the redhead to the blonde, and the blonde returned the feeling with his own gratefulness. After a moment, Naruto let go of his friend, who seemed somehow relieved, but the warm feelings were still there…

"Naruto, aren't you going to introduce me to your friend?" a sudden, acute voice interrupted yet another deep moment. "I'm getting jealous of that look!"

Gaara looked past his friend to see where that voice had come from, and he was shocked to see a young woman, also their age, beautifully built, blonde and green-eyed, her face as bright as the Hokage before her, kindly entwining all five fingers of her delicate hand with Naruto's tanned ones, as he returned the kindness quite willingly.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" the male blonde scratched his head with the other hand, looking at the girl as if suddenly he had become much more than the Hokage, "Gaara, she is the other reason why I wanted you here. Her name's Rabba, and she's my girlfriend…"

Yes, Gaara had deducted as much from their behavior together, but now that he had heard it from Naruto's own mouth, it was all made clear. The girl, Rabba, reached out a hand to squeeze the redhead's in a greeting and Gaara returned the gesture, decided that he liked her, by the way all of her seemed to be as warm and bright as Naruto himself. She could make him happy. The Kazekage smiled and felt happy as well. Demon hosts always looked out for each other.

"Of course I was kidding!" were Rabba's words as she shook Gaara's hand. "But he does talk a lot about you, so I'm glad that I can finally see you face to face."

"The feeling is returned," Gaara merely replied, but his smile spoke more than he could. "Even if I am just meeting you now. It's a pleasure."

But then she let go and gave Naruto a reason to be on her way, something about he having some catching up to do, but before she left, the couple exchanged a very interesting yet tender kiss, that made Gaara turn his pinkening face the other way, a bit flustered.

And when Rabba was gone, Naruto didn't waste his time, telling his best friend all about how he had met her in a mission, how she had proved to be as stubborn, unorthodox and amazing as he was (Gaara did not mock his lack of modesty) and how she had won him from the first moment they met. The redhead smirked and cringed a little from the cheesiness of the situation, but the blonde's eyes were shining as he told their story, and Gaara couldn't avoid being happy for the other's gladness.

"She was so happy when I heard the news about me becoming Hokage… I mean, all of you were, but from the way she reacted… man, I think I don't want to ever let her go…" Naruto explained, quite emotively. "She's perfect."

"I am happy for you two."

"I know. And you're always welcome to stay with us. She said it herself."

A few moments of silence passed by them as Naruto guided them both to try "the best thing you'll ever eat, 'ttebayo!", but when they were finally eating said thing (a mixture of noodles and meat that was to Gaara, quite accurately, quite delicious), the redhead was reminded of what he was thinking about before the blonde had come to him.

He was quick to find the same girl from before along the walls surrounding the party, but this time he could note a new hint of sadness to her peculiar eyes. Gaara nudged Naruto and discreetly pointed to her.

"Naruto, who is she?" he asked.

The blonde's bright expression fell a little, but he was diligent to respond, "Oh, Gaara… that's Hinata."

And then, realization.

Yes, it was the Hyuuga heiress, he could see that now, with wide eyes. The Byakugan eyes and the solemn, delicate frame, the dark hair and the reserved behavior, he already knew them well. But… if that was Hinata, she had grown so much! The more woman-like features of her body had given her a unique beauty, a dreadful sense of fragility that almost made his sand fly to her in protection, in case something sudden would threaten her, yet in many ways a thick layer of determination seemed to be enveloping her, she might look shy and collected, but there were some parts of Naruto's inner flame showing through her eyes. The dress she was wearing seemed to have been chosen especially for the occasion, and though it did not speak of flamboyance or blunt eccentricity, it fitted her simple yet beautiful form to a t.

How hadn't Gaara notice her before, recognize her before? Well, he hadn't seen her in over six years, she wasn't there when he was brought back to life and even when Seimei had tried to harvest his tail for his clan's weapons and she lent her help, he hadn't spent that much time with her. The only clear image the redhead had of Hinata Hyuuga before this stunning present one was of her fighting her own cousin during the Chuunin Exams, how she forcefully stood her ground against all the certain odds she had of losing, against the brutality Neji had towards her at the time (though at the time Shukaku had given him very different feelings from the battle than these).

The woman now standing almost near him was a dashing improvement from her younger self, a beautiful result of an inner fight for recognition not unlike his own, and Gaara felt (more than thought or said) that she was the most gorgeous young woman in the party, blinding out even the girl Naruto had given his heart to.

But something didn't fit right… The sadness in her eyes and the dropping mood of the Hokage beside him. And yet the answer to those came to him almost naturally. Hinata's only drive through the years was, as everyone but the blonde himself knew, Naruto Uzumaki. Again, in a very similar way to what happened to the redhead. There had been a confession and, apparently, there had been a refusal. Gaara knew enough of love to understand it doesn't always happen the way one wants to, so Hinata wasn't to blame to love Naruto and neither was Naruto to blame for not loving Hinata back. Still, the Kazekage inwardly wondered how much prettier the Hyuuga heiress could look if someone could take that veil of sorrow away from her…

"I spoke to her when Rabba and I began dating…" Naruto's voice stilled his thoughts. "She said she was okay with it, and I know she was speaking the truth. She has such a beautiful soul, Hinata, she'd even be excited if I were marrying _you_…" he let out a saddened chuckle. "But… but I can't help but wondering, but wanting that… that…"

"… that she would be the one ending up happy…" Gaara completed it for him, his voice almost in trance.

Naruto nodded sadly and no more words were spoken about the matter. For one, Gaara's mind was far too occupied to speak. It seemed as if something had just clicked inside his head, had just laid everything before him in a way he couldn't avoid seeing it as right. The redhead felt like he had no choice but to hear the tiny possibility whispering inside his head, venturing of love, his chance for it and how he could make all things right, for himself, the gorgeous girl and his best friend, but the Kazekage was quick to shake all those thoughts off.

Love was never for him. He had lived with its theory and lived amongst friendship, but Gaara was sure that true, heart-shaped, chocolate-flavored, rose-scented love was not reserved for him. That was for the lucky ones, like Naruto, the shiny and inspiring. And the blonde had deserved every bit of it. The redhead, on the other hand, was always a creature raised in the dark. He could not make someone happy that way, to make someone happy in anyway was a challenge itself. He would only end up destroying it all, as was his habit. And the girl with sadness in her eyes deserved so much more as well…

Naruto would have been perfect for her, but not him. They were the same, but they still were very different. He was already lucky to have all he had now… His reason closed the matter, though his heart wished to discuss it further. This time, Gaara wouldn't allow that…

But, surprisingly, more or less the same battle was being fought on the twin blonde head by his side…

Naruto had not thought of it before, but there were actually so many similarities between Gaara and Hinata. The special eyes, the frail frame, the delicate, solemn posture, and, Heaven forbid!, the beauty. He would admit to anyone, any day, that the Hyuuga heiress possessed a very special beauty that other girls could not quite reach and Naruto did admit his best friend, even being a boy like him, was very, very pleasing to the eye.

And it was almost premonitory the way the both of them had been right by his side! Both of them had been unfaltering pillars of support through these years, risking their lives and living their own lives by the words of help he had so involuntarily given them… Silent, never demanding anything and unavoidably loyal, they had spoken of him in ways that still made him blush and fill his insides with gratefulness, they had always defended him more fiercely than their own honor. And, in the end, he had hurt them both far more than what their golden souls deserved, refusing Hinata's love and once upon a time refusing Gaara's advice… if only there was a way to make it all up for them… Both deserved to be happy, and Gaara needed to be on his level, if Naruto had found love, than the ex-host of Shukaku would have to find the same luck as well…

Perhaps there was a way, Naruto thought… Maybe his two greatest supporters, Gaara being a male reflection of Hinata, could be brought together to the same mirror, and maybe their connection could dissolve the glass that separated them… It would be a very poetic thank you to the both of them, and this way the blonde would be sure these precious people would be in the right hands, of one another…

A plan played in his mind and he smiled again as it unfolded. It could go so very well… He had to try it. By his side, Gaara was blocking out the same conclusions, and the time for thinking was over when the Hokage asked, "How long are you going to stay this time?"

His answer took some time to arrive.

"One week. I had to argue a bit with Baki to let me, but he knows this was important for me. I wanted to be here, and I am here to help, should you need my help."

Perfect.

"Well, damn right I need it! I have no idea what to do!" and now Naruto was back to his happy self. It was surprising how easily he could recover his mood… Of course this time he might be holding the solution to his problems already… "Will you come by my office tomorrow? Please?"

As if the redhead could say no…

"Sure," and he was smiling too. "Then I must be going. It's already rather late and I have a premonition I'll need all my strength to tutor you in leadership tomorrow…"

"Ha-ha, very funny. You have the keys to my apartment, right?"

Confusion.

"But aren't you staying there with Rabba?" Gaara asked.

"What does it matter, didn't I tell you still have your place there? Now go."

And he went, muttering a thank you and smiling as he walked. He said goodbye to his very cheerful siblings before leaving and, while he crossed the party to head towards Naruto's apartment, he gave a nervous wave to Hinata Hyuuga still standing by the wall, who seemed to have recognized him since ever and returned the gesture with the prettiest smile on her lips.

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**END OF CHAPTER**

Finally, too…

Rabba is very cute to write, and so is her relationship with Naruto. But she'll only appear on this story, don't worry :P

Well, nothing else to add…

See ya next chapter!

kathlaida-princess logging out…


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